The sun has just started to warm up in the Italian mountain village of Chiavenna, just under an hour’s drive and 1,500 meters down from the base in St. Moritz (1,856 meters above sea level). Ingebrigtsen is in the decisive phase of the Olympic preparations. He has come so close to the championship that there is much that can be destroyed and little that can be recovered in the training work. The foundation is there. Now the motor must be fine-tuned and the last switches switched on. news has been granted exclusive access to one of the 23-year-old’s last tough sessions before Paris. The program includes intervals – a total of 20 laps around the course – at a speed that induces the lactic acid long before you have completed the course for most people. The last rounds of the session are done in spiked shoes. – Medium in quantity and medium in hardness, but it gets heavy. You breathe, says Filip Ingebrigtsen – and says questioningly to his little brother: – It’s not very light? – No… The first ones will probably be quite easy, answers Jakob. PSYCHES UP: Jakob Ingebrigtsen warms up his body and head before the session ahead. Photo: Fredrik Tombra / news On Saturday afternoon he was back in St. Moritz after the phantom race in Monaco: 3.26.73 in 1500 metres. – I dread it When the brothers Ingebrigtsen arrive at the modest facility, together with training partner Fredrik Sandvik, the heart rate monitor shows on Monday. The legs are as good as they can be after going full throttle for 1500 meters three days beforehand, but even an Olympic champion faces the threshold mile before the session. – As soon as I get out of bed, I dread it. It’s not a lot of exercise that I don’t dread, I have to be honest. – Even with these surroundings? – That is the problem. I can’t bear to look at it while I’m running as hard as I can, says Ingebrigtsen, before he glances at the magnificent mountains that surround the light blue athletics track on the Italian side of the Maloja pass. – How about a leisurely eight kilometers around the lake? – That is also all I can do. At least it feels that way, says Ingebrigtsen, as he tightens the knots on his shoes. GOOD HELP: Jakob Ingebrigtsen (centre) gets good help from Filip Ingebrigtsen (front) and Fredrik Sandvik along the way. They alternate who is first and last on the train. Photo: Fredrik Tombra / news Storebror Filip and Sandvik contribute what they can along the way: applying sun cream, longing for drinks and speed control. Yngstemann is mostly focused on getting the job done. Most of the time, you only see the shiny backboard. It’s going really fast. – Last night when I ate chips and watched football, it didn’t feel like I had a hard life. But today I really have a hard life, says Ingebrigtsen after a total of 8,000 meters at a pace that few would maintain for 200 metres. Another session can be booked before the peak of the season. Everything went according to plan. Believes no one matches little brother Filip Ingebrigtsen believes the secret behind success is his little brother’s ability to carry out these sessions with quality over time. Most – if not all – of the closest competitors would be able to take their backs in single sessions. The problems arise when it has to be done continuously. There is no one who matches him. Because the cost over time will be too high for you to recover, if you don’t have the right foundation, explains older brother Ingebrigtsen. As for the second session of the day, it may be worth mentioning that the tone has changed: – It’s just a treat. TOUGH ROOF: The final 2,000 meters are done with spikes underfoot. Photo: Fredrik Tombra / news Before the quiet evening trip in St. Moritz, there will be a cooling bath in the nearby river and a simple lunch on the way out of town. Two slices of pizza and orange soda. The time between sessions is used for rest and other entertainment. You can read more about that on news later. PS! Jakob Ingebrigtsen starts his hunt for Olympic gold with a trial heat of 1,500 meters on 2 August. He also runs 5000 meters in Paris. You can watch athletics on news 1 and news TV. Published 20.07.2024, at 10.19
ttn-69
Exclusive insight: – As soon as I get out of bed, I dread it
